The Bach Khoa Investment and Development of Solar Energy Corporation (SolarBK) was invited last month to be a panelist at the “Climate Change Adaptation and Energy Security for Sustainable Development” panel discussion at the Vietnam Economic Forum 2019 (VEF 2019), which was jointly organized by the Vietnamese Government and the Party Central Committee’s Economic Commission.

The company also presented an exhibition showcase entitled “Energy Technology for Sustainable Economic Growth” along with other major companies such as EVN, Siemens, ABB, TokyoGas, and Intel. The forum attracted over 2,000 participants from the Party, the government, policymakers, economists, academics, businesses, and international organizations.

Mr. Mai Van Trung, Business Development Director at SolarBK, told the gathering about the hybrid wind-solar electric system SolarBK installed to supply power to the Spratly Islands and DK1 rigs in the East Sea, and the seawater desalination system on Cay Island, which earned SolarBK the Energy Globe award in 2012 and 2016, respectively. The forum gained a clear view of Vietnamese brainpower and ability in implementing large projects and heard of the very first steps by SolarBK in particular and Vietnam’s renewable energy sector in general on the route to energy security.

Deputy Minister of Science and Technology Le Cong Tac said that one of the most important solutions to ensuring energy security in the context of climate change is to step up research, bringing into play powerful applications in science and technology to promote energy saving and effective use.

Agreeing with Minister Tac, Mr. Trung also mentioned the research and development team at SolarBK, who are ceaselessly updating and upgrading technologies attached to renewable energy systems to meet savings needs and to personalize customers.

The most prominent is SSOC (Solar System Operation Center), which is being innovated constantly and is vertically integrated into SolarBK’s full-package solutions, offering substantial benefits to optimize the management process and foster the use of clean energy in Vietnam.

Mr. Trung also said that solar output insurance from a third party and financial services have contributed to building trust, resulting in owning BigK (a rooftop solar power system for households) become easier than ever. In the last five months of 2018 alone, SolarBK held a 46 per cent domestic market share in household solutions, reaching its goal of installing Vietnamese-made solar panels on millions of rooftops.

SolarBK also represented Vietnam’s renewable energy sector in discussing the issues domestic companies must grapple with when carrying out renewable energy projects. “Regulations on devices, solar panels, inverters, technical processes, and so on are not clear,” he said. “Some systems must therefore wait one or two months after installation before officially coming into operation.”

SolarBK will continue to be the leading company in Vietnam’s renewable energy sector this year. If remaining difficulties are soon tackled, the sector will grow sustainably based on a firm foundation of energy security. The country will also be part of the global community fighting against the effects of climate change.